


by twilight

by paox



Series: useless saboace [5]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Modern AU, sabo is Hurting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-11
Updated: 2018-02-11
Packaged: 2019-03-16 19:17:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13642764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paox/pseuds/paox
Summary: Sabo, 3:56AM: are u awake?Ace, 3:57AM: yeAce, 3:57AM: everything okay?





	by twilight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HannyCho](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HannyCho/gifts).



> for a lovely artist!!!!! <3 enjoy the angst bby

**** Ace is used to being woken by the ringing of his phone - whether it's Luffy needing to be picked up from the shadiest place in town in the middle of the night, or a news update, or Oyaji asking him to come to the Newgate household on short-notice if something needs to be sorted out. It is his second home, after all. He is a light sleeper so when his phone buzzes on his bedside table, screen lighting up, Ace jolts awake and fumbles to grasp it, clumsy fingers scrambling to right it. For a moment, his vision is too blurry to see what's on the screen; then his eyes adjust to the light and-

_ Sabo, 3:56AM:  _ are u awake?

Ace blinks, waking up a little. Sabo would the last person he would expect to text him at a time like this. The sixteen-year old’s parents are the strictest Ace has ever met. Ace wouldn't be surprised if they had cameras set up in his room.

Still, he replies:

_ Ace, 3:57AM:  _ ye

_ Ace, 3:57AM:  _ everything okay?

A long pause. Ace yawns, rubbing his eyes, trying to keep from going back to sleep. His eyelids feel heavy but he keeps them open anyway. Eventually, Ace’s phone vibrates again.

_ Sabo, 3:58AM: _ can i see u

Ace’s brow furrows. This is even more unusual. He texts back quickly,  _ what happened? _

Another pause. Ace wonders whether Sabo is thinking hard about his replies, or…there's a twist of dread in his chest. Maybe Sabo is having trouble texting because he’s hurt, or in trouble, or lost or-

_ Sabo, 3:58AM: _ sorry abt this 

_ Sabo, 3:58AM: _ parenrs 

_ Sabo, 3:58AM: _ *parents 

_ Sabo, 3:58AM: _ fck sorry its cold, hard to type 

Ace sits up immediately, the last traces of tiredness leaving him in an instant. Ice pools in his stomach. He stands, reaching for a t-shirt on the floor. The room is dark and he can barely see but he doesn't turn the light on, not willing to wake Dadan. As he pads across the room he messages back, fingers flying across the keys, now panicking a little.

_ Ace, 3:59AM: _ where are you

_ Ace, 3:59AM: _ im coming to get you alright 

_ Ace, 3:59AM: _ just tell me where you are, i’ll be there 

Sabo replies quicker this time, and by the time he does Ace is already pulling on pants, not even bothering to put on a belt, in too much of a hurry to consider sock. The screen lights up the dark ceiling. 

_ Sabo, 4:00AM: _ bus station. didnt know where else to go

_ Sabo, 4:00AM:  _ i think they might tbrow me out soon, theres a police guy here looking at me weird 

Ace swears out loud, before taking a deep breath, forcing himself to keep calm. He has to think about this rationally, keep a clear head. If he can bring Sabo back here and get him warm and safe, they can worry about everything else later. For now, all that matters is getting Sabo in out of the cold November night, keeping him safe. That's all Ace cares about.

_ Ace, 4:00AM _ : i’ll be there as soon as i can. it's going to be okay

Sabo replies immediately.

_ Sabo, 4:00AM: _ ilu

_ Sabo, 4:00AM _ : thank u

Ace pockets his phone, heart pounding hard. He creeps out of his room, not letting his door creek, even though he knows logically that Dadan is probably passed out and dead to the world. Slipping down the stairs to the front door, he keeps very quiet and doesn't dare to make a sound. Shadows trail up the walls, coating the house as moonlight through the windows throws them into sharp relief. Ace pulls his trainers on without socks and, instead of risking finding the keys (Dadan hides them most of the time, paranoid about burglars), he slips out of the front room window like usual. 

Out on the street, it's freezing. Ace finds himself shivering immediately, cold seeping through his jacket, and he zips it up and pulls it tight around his face. Fuck. Sabo’s been out in this for too long already. He sets off towards the bus station, tucking his hands into his pockets, head bowed against the wind. The night is fiercely cold. Ace curses quietly, and his breath fogs up in front of his face. 

Fingers stinging with cold, Ace reaches into his pocket, grabbing his phone and typing as he walks.

_ Ace, 4:03AM: _ what happened? are you okay?

_ Sabo: 4:03AM: _ im 

_ Sabo, 4:03AM: _ im ok

_ Sabo, 4:03AM:  _ fucj, i want u to be here 

Ace grits his teeth with determination and speeds up again, now to almost a run, feet pounding on the icy pavement. As he jogs, he texts back.

_ Ace, 4:04AM: _ should i call?

_ Sabo, 4:04AM:  _ nonono its ok

_ Sabo, 4:04AM: _ fck hes coming over 

Ace speeds up to a sprint, feet slipping on the ice, panic flooding through his veins. If the police officer finds out who Sabo is - who his parents are - surely they’ll send him back immediately. And if Ace knows Sabo, he knows that that isn't what he wants. That's the opposite of what he must want.

The bus station comes into view - a little building with a toilet and a vending machine. Ace walks to it every morning to catch the bus to school. His breath comes in quick pants as he skids to a halt in front of the doors and pushes them open, striding into the building. 

Inside, it is just as cold as outside - somehow, it feels even more so. Ace’s breath fogs up in front of his face in here, too. Sabo is sitting on a bench against one stone wall, legs pulled up to his chest, face buried in his knees. Ace feels a shudder roll through him as he meets the eyes of the police officer standing over him. Shooting the man the most fierce grin he can muster, Ace walks purposefully towards them.

“Anything I can help you with?” he asks the police officer forcefully, reaching Sabo’s side. He stands resolutely between the police officer and Sabo.

Sabo’s head snaps up. “Ace!”

“You're with this boy?”

“Yes. I meant to pick him up and I’m a little late.” Ace doesn't lessen his glare. “We’ll be leaving now.”

Sabo scrambles to his feet, swaying a little once he gets onto them. Ace wraps an arm around his shoulders. The blonde’s lips are blue, and he's shaking, looking far too pale. The officer shoots them a suspicious look but backs off, leaving Ace to steer himself and Sabo out of the bus station and into the street. Sabo stays pressed hard against Ace’s side the whole time.

Outside the doors, they walk for a few feet to get out of sight of the doors before Ace pulls away from Sabo quickly, shrugging off his jacket and pulling it around the trembling teen. Sabo looks down, not meeting his eyes, and Ace holds his chin and presses a kiss to his forehead. He wants desperately to see him smile. Sabo looks up a little, peering at Ace under his messy hair, and Ace finally registers the bandages wrapped around the right side of his face. 

“What happened to you?” he murmurs. 

Sabo shakes his head, looking away, and pulls Ace’s jacket tighter around himself. “I'm okay.”

“Don't say that-”

“Ace,  _ please _ .” Sabo sounds a little desperate. “I'm okay.” 

“That's what you always say.”

“This time it's true. You’re here.”

Ace’s heart warms but he doesn't allow himself to be deterred. “What did they do to you?”

“They didn't  _ do _ anything to me-” Sabo struggles to find words. “Can we go to your house?”

“Of course we can.” 

“I'm sorry about this-”

“Sabo.” Ace cuts him off, pressing another kiss against the top of his head. His lips press against cold blonde hair. “It's okay. Holy fuck, I'm just… I’m just so glad you’re okay. Or alive, at least. You’re with me now.”

Sabo sniffs, shivering, shoulders scrunched up against the cold. “Let’s go to your house?”

“Okay,” Ace says. “Okay.”

**\--**

Inside the house, it's warm. Dadan’s car is gone from the strip of road in front of the house. Ace seriously doubts she's gone to look for him - even if she did hear him leave, she wouldn't care very much. She probably just has a shift she forgot to tell Ace about. Ace doesn't mind - in fact, it almost feels like good luck. They don’t have to worry about waking up Dadan now. 

Ace ushers Sabo inside, flicking on the light in the hall and slamming the front door shut behind them. It’s mercifully warm inside. Sabo looks small inside Ace’s jacket, smaller than he should look. Standing in the hallway, shivering and exhausted and hurt… he looks like hell. The image makes Ace’s heart break. Before he can stop himself, he steps towards Sabo and tugs him into a hug, arms tight around his neck. Sabo stiffens. He’s a little taller than Ace, and after a moment he allows himself to be tugged down to Ace’s shoulder, returning the hug with force that is almost desperate, face pressed into his shoulder. They stand like that for a moment, neither speaking nor moving, and Sabo is still trembling. Ace holds him tighter still.

“Stelly did it.”

Sabo’s voice is small and muffled into Ace’s shoulder. Ace doesn't let him go, holding the taller teen flush against him, listening. Sabo takes a deep breath in and Ace matches him, and for a moment, they move and breathe and live as one. Sabo shudders, presses on.

“I was trying to cook something for my parents. Trying to get in their good side.” A slow, shaky breath. “I wanted to get you something for finishing your exams, I know how hard you've been working. I wanted to… to make you smile.” 

“I love you,” Ace murmurs. 

“Stelly… he got angry. Really angry.” Sabo sniffs. “We argued. I was frying dumplings for them - there was a pan of hot oil on the stove - and he threw a punch at me. I kicked him in the shins and he pushed me and-” 

Sabo cuts off abruptly, gesturing to his face. Ace's stomach goes cold, heart sinking into his gut. “He didn't…”

“He did.” Sabo laughs bitterly. “When my parents came, he said I had kicked him, tried to burn him. I was in too much pain to do much, to say much. They took me to the hospital but… but I guess I was  _ scared _ Ace.” Sabo’s arms tighten around his waist. “Scared of what they were going to do to me when I got home. Scared of staying there any longer. So they patched me up and we were leaving the hospital, and I just… ran. Ran away and ran and ran and ran until I got to the bus station, and then I just waited there until I could get up the nerve to text you…”

“Sabo…”

“I don't want pity, Ace.” Sabo wipes his face in his shoulder. “I don't want you to treat me like I deserve it.”

“You  _ do- _ ”

Sabo pulls away. The bandage on his eye has slipped a little and he tugs it back into place, but not before Ace can see an inch-wide expanse of burnt flesh. Hate for Stelly - hate for him and Sabo’s parents and the world that allows them to treat Sabo this way - burns a hole in his stomach. Sabo doesn't deserve to live like this. He's never done a thing in his life to deserve it. The rage fills Ace like something hot, something ugly. 

“You’re not going back there.”

Sabo scoffs, turning his head away even as his eye fills with tears. “Where else can I go where they won’t find me? After running away, the punishment… I think this time might be the last straw, Ace.”

Ace presses his lips against the bandages, so lightly that Sabo might not even feel it. “Then we’ll… we’ll run away! I’ve got some cash, we can pack our shit and catch a train and get out of this goddamn-”

“Ace,  _ no _ -”

“Why not?!” Ace explodes, “What are you afraid of?!”

Sabo flinches back sharply. Regret burns inside Ace, snuffing out the rage. He tries to reach towards the blonde but Sabo tugs his arm away, taking a shaky step back, fear in his eyes. 

“Sabo…”

“I’m… can we not do this now?” Sabo sniffs weakly, scrubs the tears from his eye. “In the morning, can we make a decision?”

“Sabo, I-”

“Please, Ace. Please.”

“Okay…” Ace says hesitantly. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to be.” Sabo laughs, and it doesn’t sound much like a laugh. “ _ I’m _ sorry for… everything. Sorry.”

“Do you want to rest?” 

Sabo nods hurriedly. “Yes. Definitely.”

“We can do that. We can…” Ace swallows hard. “Sorry. Fuck. Sabo, this is so messed up.”

“I know.”

“But someday, it’ll end. I’ll make it end.”

Softer, this time. “I know.”

“I love you.” 

“I… I love you too.” 

Ace takes Sabo’s hand, pulls him gently but firmly towards the stairs. On the way, he flicks off the hallway light and they’re plunged into darkness. The house smells faintly like booze and rust and Dadan and home. Sabo doesn’t let go of Ace’s hand, not even after he’s peeled off the jacket and they’ve climbed into Ace’s bed, and they’re tangled together just so one of them doesn’t fall off. 

“I’m sorry,” Ace murmurs. “Sorry I couldn’t be there. Sorry I couldn’t save you.”

“You did,” Sabo replies sleepily, face pressed into Ace’s collarbone. “You already have.”


End file.
